In sports such as baseball and softball, players wear a ball glove on the non-throwing hand for catching the ball. The ball glove is designed to be worn by placing fingers in a finger region of a hand cavity formed by a shell back comprising a back side skin and a shell palm comprising a palm side skin of the ball glove. The shell back and the shell palm of the ball glove are joined at the periphery, except at a hand insertion opening, by lacing, sewing or welting.
One of important function of the ball glove is to provide a wearer protection from an impact of a ball being caught in the ball glove and the ball glove is typically made of material such as leather with layers of padding to dissipate the force exerted on the hand by a caught ball. As indicated in FIG. 2a, a ball impact zone X of the ball glove is located at the base of the index finger section. Accordingly, in conventional ball gloves, the layers of padding are fixedly attached by a glue and sewing to a palm lining to cover the ball impact zone without any open room in between, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The ball's impact begins the molding and stretching process of the leather so that a pocket is formed in the impact zone. The pocket of the ball glove is where the wearer can catch the ball tightly.
FIG. 4 illustrates a typical position of the layers of padding in conventional ball glove. It is necessary to provide layers of padding in the ball impact zone for an adequate protection from the impact of the ball being caught. However, the layers of padding fixedly attached to the palm lining increase stiffness of the palm side skin of the ball glove, on which the palm lining is secured and the ball is contacted. The stiffness of the palm side skin of the ball glove not only increases response time to close and open the ball glove but also causes a difficulty to form the pocket in the ball impact zone of the ball glove.
A crotch area is another stiff area in the ball impact zone. The crotch area is the area of a palm shell that separates the index finger section and the thumb section of the ball glove. In the conventional ball glove, a webbing is provided between the thumb section and the index finger section of the ball glove and is coupled to the crotch area to assist a stable and sturdy ball catching. As the webbing, the shell palm, and the back shell are congregated at the crotch area, the crotch area of the conventional ball glove also exhibits stiffness. The stiffness in the crotch area also has a negative impact on the pocket forming process as the ball impact zone includes the crotch area and on the maneuverability of the ball glove to open and close.
Accordingly, a break-in process is required to improve the maneuverability of the ball glove and to form the pocket in a desired spot. In the break-in process, stiff areas in the ball glove are softened by rubbing oils prior to forming the pocket. Ball glove manufacturers make a variety of oils to soften the leather. Shaving cream with lanolin, mink oil, saddle soap, etc. are also used. Wooden mallets or rubber mallets specifically made to pound the pocket are often used to form the pocket. Another practice for forming the pocket of the ball glove is to place a ball in the pocket and tie the glove shut with shoelaces or string for a day or two in an area where the temperature is not extreme.
However these approaches do not create the pocket based on the individual player's ball catching habits. Playing catch with someone would be the best way to break-in as the ball's impact initiates the molding and stretching process of the palm side skin of the ball glove so it will conform to the wearer's hand and catching style. However, breaking-in the ball glove to form the pocket in this way with conventional ball gloves is lengthy and regular work out is needed every day for at least two weeks.